Capitol Hill - Katie

My first trip to the Capitol was both exciting and enlightening. I knew that Capitol Hill holds congress meetings, but I never really thought about how journalists get the inside information for writing their stories. Superintendent Jerry L. Gallegos guided us through the House Press Gallery as I observed several people sitting quietly at computers, with the only noise coming from the frantic typing of reporters writing up stories. As we walked further into the room, there were several telephone booths, reminding us of the history of the press covering congressional hearings, before cell phones or computers existed. Professor Shepard soon gave us the image of a frenzied mob of journalists shoving their ways into the booths after an important hearing.
Mr. Gallegos enlightened the group with the history of the press’s presence on Capitol Hill. I learned how important the “freedom of the press” amendment is for the amelioration of our country, and it is the journalist’s role to use this freedom to the best of his or her ability.
One of the most exciting parts of the tour was passing by Senator John Kerry while walking to the senate press gallery. Although I was excited to see a famous politician face-to-face, I realized that a professional journalist should never be stupefied by someone important since it may cause the journalist to lose credibility.
I was surprised by how beautiful it was inside the building. There were massive paintings everywhere, and in the middle of the building there is a collection of statues (2 from each state) with ceiling paintings depicting the history of the United States. I learned a lot from the tour that I didn’t know before, and I was able to see where the excitement of Washington reporting takes place.